by Telly Davidson
AFI FEST Daily News

Scene from PAN'S LABYRINTH, Mexico's submission for Foreign Language Oscar, screening November 9 at midnight and November 10, 1:00 PM, at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi.

A dozen films submitted by their home countries for Foreign Language Oscar nominations are screening at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi.

Oscar submissions from the world of Latin Cinema include Mexico's PAN'S LABYRINTH, Argentina's FAMILY LAW and, from Spain, Pedro Almodovar's VOLVER.

The thriving Asian market boasts opulent historic dramas in the Oscar race, including China's CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER and Hong Kong's THE BANQUET.

And Europe's entries find their roots in family dynamics with films like Sweden's FALKENBURG FAREWELL and Denmark's AFTER THE WEDDING.

Other entries like Bosnia and Herzegovina's GRBAVICA and Germany's THE LIVES OF OTHERS examine the horrors of war - both "hot" and "cold."

As these diverse filmmakers keep their eyes on the Oscar prize, they must contend not only with the cultural nuances and a competitive US distribution process, but the rules and regulations set down by the Academy itself.

A film submitted in the foreign-language category, for example, must have been exhibited for a minimum of seven days in at least one major theater in its home country to be eligible for consideration.

Nonetheless, foreign filmmakers see themselves on the cultural cutting-edge of the new global era of film, television and online publishing.

John Chong, CEO of the Media Asia Group (representing THE BANQUET) said about Asia's expanding cinema scene, "Although Hollywood-ism was almost the sole lingua franca around the globe in times bygone, cultural and media globalization has increasingly facilitated filmgoers' receptiveness to international films in recently years.

"Every valued film will be known by people everywhere. That certainly augurs well for the future of Asian cinema."

Marcus Hu, who works with Strand Releasing (representing this year's Bosnian entry, GRBAVICA), echoes that thought.

"At Strand, we've had a long history of handling cinema from all over the world, and we intend on having that commitment all through the future. There has been a shift in the marketplace from theatrical exhibition towards DVD sales and NetFlix, which have expanded exponentially. But that just proves that there'll always be a sophisticated audience hungry for this kind of cinema."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will whittle a record 61 foreign-language Oscar submissions to a final list of five nominees, to be announced January 23, 2007.

The Oscars will be broadcast live by ABC-TV February 25, 2007, from the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center.